Amounts brought forward, $3,590,438.95 $15,132,909.00 4,116,013.00 Loans made on account of the Baltimore and Ohio and Washing- Leaving, 5,013,048.05 the interest on which must be provided for by taxation. But the sinking fund is treated as part of the public debt, and the interest on it is paid out of the proceeds of taxation, and applied to purchasing State stock or bonds. In addition to the interest on the sinking fund, there is an annual surplus now of about $200,000, which is applicable either to the extinction of the debt, or the increase of the sinking fund. The Treasurer has advertised (October, 1855) that he will in December next pay off two State loans then due, amounting together to the sum of $259,189. The balance in the treasury on the 30th of September, 1854, was . There was received in the fiscal year ending the 30th of September, 1855, The disbursements for the same fiscal year, including increase of sinking fund, were, Leaving this balance in the treasury, September 30, 1855, $378,123.98 1,2.762.58 $1,578,856.56 985.964.53 $ 592,922.013 Out of this balance the above-mentioned loans ($ 259,189) will be redeemed, leaving a bal. ance in the treasury of $ 333,733, applicable to other purposes. The school fund amounted, September 30th, 1854, to $ 161,867. The assessed value of real and personal property in the State for 1854 was $243,537,091. Including the sinking fund, the amount of loans to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the bonds, stocks, &c. before named, the productive property of the State may be given at $12,555,842. There is, besides, unproductive property, consisting of stocks, arrears of interest, &c., as given by the auditor, to the amount of $14,748,392.60. The State direct tax is 15 cents on $100. With the present abundant income, the debt will be rapidly absorbed by the operation of the sinking fund and the surpluses; and before many years the State will be relieved from heavy taxation. The provisions of the new Constitution in regard to the State's incurring new debts are as follows:-"No debt shall be contracted exceeding $100,000, nor unless the act creating it shall provide for a tax sufficient to pay the interest as it falls due, and the principal in fifteen years. Such taxes shall not be repealed or applied to any other purpose. The credit of the State shall never be given or lent, nor shall the State be in any way concerned in internal improvements. The moneys levied to pay the public debt shall never be diverted until the debt is paid, or until the sinking fund equals the outstanding debt." State colonization society, $4,419.61 365.84 $16,000.00 Contingent fund for library, 2,184.36 Library, increase of, State Tobacco inspections, 19,564.07 Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, 17,735.11 State Penitentiary. - O. P. Merryman, Warden. November 30, 1853, there were in confinement, 349 prisoners; received during the year, 142; in all, 591. Discharged during the year by expiration of sentence, 71; by pardon, 20; by death, 5; by escape, 1; in all, 97; leaving in prison November 30, 1854, 394. Of those received during the year, 86 were white and 56 colored; 127 males and 15 females; 136 were first-comers, 4 second-comers, 1 third-comer, and 1 for the seventh time. Of the 15 females 4 are white. 72 were sentenced for stealing; 9 for murder; 4 for manslaughter; 4 for assault with intent to kill; 7 for burglary; 5 for horse-stealing; and 4 for arson. 100 were Americans, and 42 foreigners, of whom 22 were natives of Germany, 14 of Ireland, and 6 of other foreign countries. Among the 100 Americans are included the 56 colored convicts. William L. Jackson, 2d Aud. and Sup. of Literary Fund, O. F. Crutchfield, of Spottsylvania, Speaker of the House. Shelton C. Davis, Clerk of the Senate. 2,000 Superintendent of Penitentiary, 2,000 300 per annum. The Secretary of the Commonwealth, the Auditor of Public Accounts, and Register are, ex officio, members of the Board of Commissioners of the Sinking Fund. The Governor and Lieutentant-Governor are elected by the people for four years, and at the same election the Attorney-General is elected for four years. The Secretary, Treasurer, and Auditor are elected by joint They are all obliged to re- vote of the General Assembly for two years. side at Richmond during their term of service. of Public Works are elected by the people for six years, one every two years. The House of Delegates consists of 152 members, elected biennially from single districts, apportioned upon the basis of the white population. The Senate, apportioned upon the basis of population and taxation combined, consists of 50 members elected for four years, one half every two years, from single districts. The sessions of the Legislature are biennial ; no session can last more than 90 days, except by a vote of three fifths of all the members; and then it shall not be extended more than 30 days. The Legislature meets in January, 1856. JUDICIARY. For the administration of justice there are established County Courts, Circuit Courts, District Courts, and a Supreme Court of Appeals. The County Courts are held monthly in each county, by not less than three nor more than five justices. These justices are thus chosen by the people. Each county is divided into districts, and each district elects four justices for the term of four years. These justices elect one of their own number to attend each term of the court. The State is divided into 21 circuits. The voters in each circuit elect a judge for eight years, who must be thirty years old and reside in the circuit. Two Circuit Courts are held annually in each county by each judge. These 21 circuits form 10 districts, and these 10 districts form 5 sections. The voters of each section elect a judge of the Court of Appeals, who must be 35 years old and reside in his section. The judges of these five sections constitute the Court of Appeals; any three of whom may hold the court, which has jurisdiction, except in certain specified cases, where the matter in controversy is not less than $500 in value. This court sits at Richmond from January 5th to March 5th, from April 1st to May 14th, from October 15th to December 15th, and at Lewisburg on the 2d Monday in July, the term to last ninety days if necessary. District Courts are held once every year in each district, by the judges of the circuits constituting the section, and the judge of the Supreme Court for the section, any three of whom may hold the court. The Court of Appeals and the District Courts appoint their officers, but in the Circuit and County Courts the officers of the court are elected by the people. For the prevention of crime, each county in the several circuits elects a prosecuting attorney. Circuit Courts. Post-office. Norfolk, Cir. Name of Judge. 1. Richard H. Baker, 2. John W. Nash, 3. William Leigh, 4. George H. Gilmer, Halifax C H., 2,000 14. Robert M. Hudson, Fincastle, Harrisonburg, $2,000 Winchester, 2,000 2,000 2,000 5. Edward P. Pitts, Accomac C. H., 1,500 16. Andrew S. Fulton, Wytheville, 2,000 66 9. John W. Tyler, 6. John B. Clopton, 7. John A. Meredith, 8. John T. Lomax, Fredericksburg, 2,000 19. Matthew Edmiston, Wiston, Warrenton, 2,000 20. Geo. W. Thompson, Wheeling, 10. Richard H. Field, Culpeper C. H., 2,000 21. Gideon D. Camden, Clarksburg, 11. Lucas P.Thompson, Staunton, 2,000 The term of office of all these judges ends July 1, 1860. Public Debt, October 1, 1855. Amount of outstanding registered stock, five and six per cent, Amount of five per cent sterling bonds (coupons), Amount of six per cent bonds (coupons), The contingent debt consists of liabilities of the State for guaranties to bonds of corpora tions for the purposes of internal improvements; it amounts to $3,898,500. Productive Stocks, Funds and Resources of the State, Oct. 1, 1855. $5,395,582.46 Funds now unproductive, but more or less available, and secured by mortgage, 4,875,273.33 Stocks in internal improvements yet unfinished, Total, Synopsis of Receipts and Disbursements at the Treasury for the Year ending Sept. 30, At the session of 1853, the Legislature lent its aid largely to works of internal improvement. The chief items of receipts for the year ending Sept. 30, 1854, were, Taxes, $1,341,235.66; Militia fines, $9,805.31; Dividends on bank shares, $ 205,893; Temporary loan, $ 150.000; Internal improvement fund, $411,548.20; Tobacco inspection, $ 11,925.40; Total, $ 2,166,335.56. The chief items of expenditure were, -Interest on public debt and expenses, $1,377,325.89; General Assembly, $113,819.58; Officers of government, including judges, $107,742.90; Criminal charges and guards, $66,154.99; Slaves executed, or sold and transported, $ 22,080; Penitentiary, $21,697.98; Lunatic asylums and lunatics, $ 97,180.66; Deaf, dumb, and blind, $40,000; Public guard, arms, &c., $73,189.01; Transportation of free negroes to Liberia, $8,630; Washington Monument fund, $ 23 726.14; Galt's statue of Jefferson, $2,500; Temporary loans repaid, $ 150,000; Total, $2,301,265.64. In regard to taxation and the contracting of debts and the payment of the State debt the Constitution provides as follows: — "The yeas and nays shall be taken on all tax and appropriation bills. No incorporated company shall be released from its liability to the State, nor shall the faith of the State be pledged for the debts of any company. Seven per cent of the State debt existing January 1, 1852, shall be annually set apart as a sinking fund to redeem said debt. No loans shall be contracted irredeemable for a period of over 31 years. Whenever a debt is contracted, there shall be set apart, annually, for 34 years, a sum exceeding by one per cent the aggregate amount of the annual interest agreed to be paid thereon at the time of its contraction, which sum shall be a part of the sinking fund. Stocks held by the Commonwealth may be sold, but the proceeds must be applied to the payment of the public debt." Schools. The returns are very imperfect. They showed in 1854, as regards primary schools, in 140 counties and 6 towns, 1,853 commissioners; in 129 counties and 3 towns, 3,931 schools; in 100 counties and 1 town, 55,271 poor children; in 129 counties and 4 towns, 32,072 poor children sent to school. Amount expended for tuition of poor children at common and other schools, including books and all other expenses, $ 69,404.14; average attendance of poor children in the year, 54 days; average cost per annum of each poor child, about $2.16. The returns as to district free schools are from only 10 counties and 2 towns. Number of districts, 261; of schools, 276; general average salaries of teachers in 7 counties and 2 towns, $ 224.75; number of children at school during the year in 10 counties and 2 towns, 13,176; average annual cost of these pupils, $5.92; local funds from taxes, contributions, &c., $ 63,293.52; amount applied from school quotas, $6,519.80; teachers' salaries and all other expenses, $ 68,265.30; tuition in 6 counties and 1 town, $ 36,065.53; when not otherwise stated, the above returns are from 10 counties and 2 towns. XIII. NORTH CAROLINA.* THOMAS BRAGG, of Northampton County, Governor (term of office, Salary. from Jan. 1, 1855, to Jan. 1, 1857), A furnished house and $3,000 Secretary of State, $800 and Fees. 2,000 Clerk of the Treas. Dep., 750 Comptroller, 1,000 and Fees. Supt. Common Schools, of Raleigh, of Rockingham Co., Treasurer, of Fayetteville, of Caswell Co., Clerk of the Senate. 1,500 Governor's Private Secretary, $300 and Fees. Speaker of the Senate. Speaker of the House of Commons. William Hill, of Stoke, of Wake, Clerk of the House. The sessions of the Legislature are biennial. The last session commenced in November, 1854. JUDICIARY. Chief Justice, Frederic Nash, of Hillsborough, $2,500 * Honorable David S. Reid, whose full term as Governor expired January 1, 1855, having been elected to the United States Senate, and been qualified as Senator, Warren Winslow, Speaker of the Senate, acted as Governor of the State during the remainder of the term, and at the same time, by a vote of the Senate to that effect, presides over the Senate. |